Anticreep device.



W. F. RICHARDS.

ANTICREEP DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. I9l5.

longitudinal UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS, 0F DEPEW, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULD .COUPLER 'COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ANTICBEEP DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS,-

locks, for preventing the locks from'creeping or jumping out of their locking positions owing to the arring or shocks to which the couplers'are subjected in service.

Theobject of the invention is to provide reliable means of verysimple and inexpensive construction which will positively retain the lock in its locking position and prevent it from jumping or creeping out of such position in the use of the coupler.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a car coupler provided with means embodying the invention for preventing the creeping or jumping of the knuckle lock out of its operative' position. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof showing the parts in a differbnt position to prevent creeping. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation thereof showing the parts in position to raise the lock. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation thereof on line 14:, Fig. 1.

A represents the head of a car coupler, B the knuckle, C the knuckle lock, and D a hollow horn or projection extending upwardly from the head and into which the lock is adapted tobe lifted when moved out of engagement with the knuckle; The conpler shown is of the general construction disclosed in Patent No. 1,132,383, dated March 16, 1915, but the anti-creeping means shown are not limited to use on couplers of this construction but are applicable to couplers of other construction having locks which are lifted out of locking engagement with the knuckle.

The means employed for lifting the lock and for preventing it from cree mg or being moved upwardly by the shoc :sor vibration of the coupler comprise two pivotally connected lifting links, the lower of which is pivoted to the knuckle lock, and the up- Specification of Letters Patent.

. lock.

Patented July 4, 1916.

' Application fil ed October 1, 1915. Serial No. 53,627.

per of which is connected to a lock-lifting shaft or device of any suitable kind. The two links are adapted to swing relative to each other about the pivot'joint connecting the same in such a manner that the lower linkwill engage with shoulders or parts on the coupler head at opposite sides of the hole in the coupler head through which the links extend.

E and F represent respectively upper and lower links which are pivotally connected and by means of which the knuckle lock is lifted'for releasing the knuckle. The links extend through a hole 6 in the top wall of the coupler head and the upper end ofthe upper link E may be connected with any suitable means (not shown) for lifting the The lower link F is provided at its lower end with an eye f, preferably formed by bending the reduced lower end of the link into a loop, which is interlinked with an eye f formed on or secured to the knuckle look so that the lower link is free to swing in an upright plane substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the coupler. The upper link Ein'the construction shown has a bifurcated lower portion 6 which straddles the upper end of the lower link and through which a pivot e connecting the two links passes. When it is desired to lift the lock, the upper link is pulled upwardly by the lifting device and the two links will be moved into vertical alinement, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position the lower link can pass through the hole 62 in the top wall of the coupler. When the upward pull on the two links is released, they will take one of the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in. which the lower link occupies either a rearwardly or a forwardly inclined position. The lower link is provided at'its upper end with opposite shoulders" f and f and when the link is in either of the inclined positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 one of these shoulders will be beneath and adapted to strike the top wall of the coupler head at one side of the hole 6. Any movement of the lock upwardly, either due to a gradual creeping of the lock or to a sudden shock, will be opposed by the engagement of the shoulders f and f with the lower face of-the top wall of the coupler.

The lower link F is largest and heaviest at its upper end, being preferably tapered downwardly from its upper end, and tends to fall either forwardly or rearwardly to and normally remain in one or the other of r wardly or rearwardly inclined position, in

which it will engage the top wall of the coupler head and hold the lock down. On the other hand, if the lower link is thrown out of one of its inclined positions by a shock on the coupler the link will either fall back to the same position or to its other inclined position, and in either event will effectually prevent the accidental lifting of the lock.

The device is thoroughly reliable in operation, since" shocks ineither direction would move the links into their operative positions before causing the lock to jump or creep upwardly.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a car coupler having a vertically movable knuckle lock, of two pivotally connected links for lifting said lock, the lower of said links being pivotally connected at its lower portion with said lock and being adapted to swing forwardly and rearwardly from' an upright po-- siti'on to different holding positions, said links being drawn into substantially vertical alinement for lifting the lock, and parts on the coupler head adapted to engage said lower link when the same is in either of its holding positions to prevent said lower link and said lock from moving upwardly.

2. The combination with a car coupler having a hole in the top wall of its head, and a knuckle lock which lifts for releasing the knuckle, of two pivotally connected links adapted to move through said hole for lifting the lock, the lower of said links being pivotally connected at its lowerportion to said lock and being adapted to swing forwardly and rearwardly from an upright position to two different inclined holding positions, said link when in either of said two holding positions being adapted to engage the edge of said hole and prevent the lock from lifting from its locking position.

3. The combination with a car coupler having a hollow upwardly extending horn and a vertically movable knuckle lock movable to an unlocking position into said horn, of two pivotally connected links in said horn for lifting said 'lock and adapted to pass through a hole in the topof said horn for lifting said lock, the lower of said links be- WILLARD F. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

ALLEN BRIMMER, GEORGE E. H.A1\IMOND. 

